


The Witch's Cage

by uofmdragon



Series: CC Trope Bingo [14]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Daemons, Alternate Universe - Retail, Get Together, M/M, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:13:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27084685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/uofmdragon/pseuds/uofmdragon
Summary: Clint's day starts with an Angry Blonde Woman with a Monkey.  It actually gets better?A Daemons AU + Retail AU
Relationships: Clint Barton/Phil Coulson
Series: CC Trope Bingo [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1490282
Comments: 15
Kudos: 66
Collections: Clint/Coulson Trope Bingo





	The Witch's Cage

**Author's Note:**

> I think I forgot to beta this one. 
> 
> Written for CC Trope Bingo where I'm combining one trope with two AUs.
> 
> Trope: Natasha telling them toget their acts together/forcing them to spill the beans  
> AU: Daemons  
> AU:Retail
> 
> For information about this event and other events I'm participating in, please see my tumblr.

Store policy stated that there was to be no cashback without a receipt. Apparently, blonde lady with a monkey daemon had not gotten the memo. The BWM (blonde woman with monkey)'s voice rose in pitch and volume. Clint was pretty sure he'd be able to hear her without his hearing aids as it was he was wishing for the fancier ones that would adjust to the decibel level of the speaker. 

Clint let her rant, trying every so often to get a word in edgewise. Right now, he was grateful that Lucy was on the floor next to his feet, where she couldn't be seen. A quick glance down showed that her tail was lashing back and forth and she was fluffed up, which was how Clint felt for sure. 

When the lady showed no signs of stopping at the five minute mark, Clint tapped on the screen and called for a manager. There was a reason he preferred to work the truck shifts rather than the front desk.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he caught sight of Phil making his way over, but frowned when Phil, Lola his daemon magpie perched on his shoulder, just stopped a few feet behind the BWM. 

"Are you paying attention to me!? I want my money back?!" The woman screeched.

"Ma'am," Clint said, trying and succeeding at finding his calm voice.

"Don't you ma'am me, you insolent child! I know the owner of this store, I can have you fired!"

The clearing of a throat, caused them both to turn to look at Phil, who was suddenly next to Clint. "I'm the manager on duty, is there a problem?"

"Yes, your employee won't give me my money back!"

"No receipt," Clint said.

Phil hummed. "You're due for your fifteen, aren't you?"

"Yes?" Cint said, it was a little early, but if Phil was trying to clear him out then he was going to go.

"Go on then," Phil said. 

Clint took the opportunity to scoot, barely noticing Lucy hurrying a head to jump on the counter and then to his shoulder as he passed by her. She usually stuck close to him. He made his way to the back where the employee break room was. He took time to grab a glass of water and then crashed into a chair.

"Well, you look like shit," Natasha's voice said. He glanced up to find her coming from her locker.

"ABWM," Clint asked. "Angry Blonde Woman with Monkey."

"Ugh, why is it always monkeys?" Natasha asked, eyes narrowed. "What was the issue?"

"No receipt, no cash refund."

Natasha rolled her eyes. "There's store credit!"

"Yes, well, I'm sure after my poor service, she's never going to be shopping here again."

Natasha snorted. "How'd you get away?"

"Phil's on duty, he sent me on break."

Natasha hummed. "Of course, he did."

Clint watched her as she studied him for a long moment. "No, Nat, we are not talking about that."

Natasha rolled her eyes. "Only, because I need to clock in and see what Tony has done to my electronics department." With that she went over to clock in and slip out the door.

He wasn't expecting Natasha's daemon to jump up onto the table, surprising Clint into spilling his water. 

"Why?!" Clint yelped.

The fox bared his fangs in an approximation of a smile. "You should tell Coulson that you are in love with him. It is completely ridiculous that you do not."

Clint spluttered as the fox jumped down and slipped through the daemon door.

"Witch!" Clint yelled though Natasha was probably long gone. He wasn't sure how she was able to seperate so far from her daemon, but she could. Legends spoke of witches that once could do that and surely Natasha must be descendent of one of them. 

*

Let's be clear about one thing, Clint Barton did not have a crush on one of his assistant managers. Phil Coulson was a nice guy with a calm demeanor that could have an irate customer calmed down and out of the store, before they even realized that they hadn't gotten their way. He was secretly a ninja. He'd seen the man take out a shoplifter with a bag of flour! If a customer dared to touch an employee and Phil found out about it, that customer was going to be kicked out and banned. Phil showed no fear, he stood up to Nick when corporate was trying to do something stupid. He listened to his employees and did everything in his power to make sure employees were taken care of. 

Clint just respected the man, a lot. Phil didn't even use his manager position to set aside one of the super rare collectible Captain Americas before it was even on the floor or use it to buy multiples to put on eBay. The day it was set to be on the floor, he came in early, and bought one, grinning like a kid in the candy store as he practically skipped back to his office like the adorable dork that he was.

OK, maybe Clint had a small crush on the man. He encouraged Clint to keep at it when it came to going back to school and to take archery back up. To leave college, because it wasn't the right fit for him, but only at the semester break, because Clint had paid for the classes already. Clint would have liked to think he was special, but he'd Phil give advice to Natasha and Daisy as well as others.

*

Clint made his way slowly back up to customer service and sighed when he realized the BWM was gone and Phil was alone. 

"So, how much trouble am I in?" Clint asked as he approached. 

Phil leveled a look at him. "None."

"Really? No complaints about me? I'm pretty sure when I left, she was."

"Clint, I know how good of an employee you are, you stick to policy," Phil said, patting Clint on the shoulder. "You do good work." Phil slipped past him.

Clint stared at Phil's back until Phil glanced back, smiling at him. Clint blinked, unsure how to handle that.

"You know," Natasha's voice came from behind him and he yelped, turning to see her there. "Phil can't really ask you out, sexual harassment and all that. It's going to have to be you."

"Why are you here?" Clint asked.

"Picking up the electronic returns," Natasha replied as she pulled the cart out of the back. Her daemon curled up on the bottom shelf.

Clint sighed. "Is there a reason you're pushing this, so hard?"

"Made a bet with Melinda," Natasha replied. "That'd you be together by the end of the week and we both know I don't lose bets."

Clint felt a shiver run through his body, because that was very true. He never bet against Natasha and he was fairly certain that if he caused her to lose a bet then he'd be in massive trouble. Normally, he didn't mind pissing off a co-worker, but Natasha was also his roommate. There was no escaping her wrath, not unless he wanted to move to Canada. 

"She's not wrong," Lucy stated, jumping to the counter as Clint started sorting the returns to their carts. "You are attracted to him."

"Sexually harassment goes both ways," Clint pointed out.

"But you've run into him outside of work and he's joined you every time you've asked," Lucy argued. "He can't, because he'd be afraid that you would say yes, because he's your boss."

"I…" Clint hesitated. "There's no sign that he likes me back. Is there?"

"Lola seems to like me," Lucy pointed out. 

"Yes, but…" Clint hesitated and sighed. "You're friendly with Reinout."

Lucy appeared to be about to say something. "Customer."

Clint stepped over to the register, plastering his best customer service smile on his face and got to work. It was a relatively slow day and he was able to get all the odds and ends that working a customer service shift entailed. He was eventually joined by Steve. The day was average until the phone rang from the electronics department. He frowned, wondering what Natasha was up to now.

"Hey Clint," Daisy said as Clint breathed a sigh of relief. "You did truck this week, right?"

"Yeah," Clint said. "You looking for something?"

"Do you remember if we got any of those bluetooth speakers that look like a rock?"

"I'm pretty sure they're back in the cage," Clint replied.

"I tried looking for 'em and couldn't find 'em, can you come help me?" Daisy requested.

"Hold on," Clint said, tucking the phone under his shoulder. "Daisy needs help finding something, you okay if I go?"

"It's dead, Clint, go ahead," Steve said from where he was straightening a display.

"Thanks man," Clint said. "Daisy, I'm on my way."

"Oh great!"

He hung up and headed toward the storage area in the back. The cage was open and he slipped back in there to go see if he could spot them. "Daisy?"

"Daisy's not back here," Phil said, coming around one of the center displays. There was a slam and they both turned to see Natasha locking the cage door from the outside. 

"Natasha!" Phil said, but Natasha was looking directly at Clint.

"I don't lose, Barton, you know what you need to do. Reinout will come get me when the job is done." With that Natasha turned and walked out.

"Witch!" Clint yelled at her. He should have suspected Daisy, but she was always so innocent.

"Natasha, unlock this door," Phil called after her. He spun turning to look at Clint, mouth agape, and looking completely bewildered.

"She made a bet with Melinda," Clint explained.

"A bet that involves locking us in The Cage?" Phil exclaimed. 

Clint shook his head. "She's giving me motivation."

"Motivation for what?" Phil asked.

Clint hesitated. "I'm guessing Melinda isn't working today?"

Phil shook her head.

"She working the rest of the week?"

"Yes," Phil said.

Clint nodded. "So today is the only day she has free reign to manipulate us into winning the bet."

"Us?"

"The bet involves us," Clint said.

Phil arched an eyebrow, before he frowned and was he blushing? Yes, he was blushing. "Involve us how?"

Clint hesitated. "Natasha made a bet that we'd be together by the end of the week. I'm not sure the exact terms, but Natasha doesn't lose."

Phil crossed his arms and frowned.

"Sorry," Clint said. "i... "

"Her behavior is completely unacceptable!"

"Phil, I'm sorry," Clint said.

"Clint, I'm sure, you didn't encourage her to do this," Phil said. "And frankly…" He trailed off with a shake of his head. He turned to look at Reinout. "Go tell Natasha that her bet is out in the open and we are simply not interested in each other in that manner."

Reinout barked a tone that sounded like laughter and did not move.

Phil glanced back and looked at Clint. "Is there a reason that Reinout is not moving?"

Clint sighed and looked at the ceiling. "Because I didn't actually say that I was interested in pursuing a romantic relationship with you and give you an actual chance to respond to that." He glanced back at Phil, who was staring at him.

"Are you saying this because Natasha locked us in here or because you actually feel that way?"

Clint considered the question. "Both? I like our relationship and you never seemed interested in more, so I probably wouldn't have said anything, but Natasha…"

Phil nodded once. "Understandable. I think our first date should be a week from today, so that we can ensure that Natasha does not get a win out of this."

Clint nodded, expecting rejection and then realizing what Phil had said. Laughing, he asked, "Really?"

"Really, we can't be together if we haven't been on a date, right?" Phil said.

"Yeah," Clint agreed, offering a small smile. "So, date?"

"Definitely," Phil agreed. He glanced back and sighed. "Well, Reinout has left." He looked back at Clint. "So, if you need to walk this back, I would understand?"

"What, no, do you want to?"

"No," Phil shook his head. "I just, I'm management. I'm on track to be manager and I didn't want you to think you had to go out with me, because I'm your boss and I certainly don't' want you to think that you need to, because…"

"Natasha is a witch?" Clint suggested. 

"I wouldn't use those words, but yes," Phil said.

"So, uh, dinner and a movie?" Clint suggested.

Phil nodded. "I'll make sure we have the same night off."

"Phil!" Clint exclaimed in mock shock. "Abusing your managerial powers like that!"

Smirking, Phil gave Clint a long look. "You gonna tell on me?"

Clint snorted. "Not a chance."

"What are you two doing back here?" Maria asked as she came around the corner, eyebrow arched.

"Long story," Phil said. "Tell me you have the key."

Maria held it up and moved to open the door. A moment later, she took a step back, eyeing them.

"Maria?" Phil questioned.

"You two work out your UST?" Maria asked.

"Ust?"

"Unresolved Sexual Tension," Maria stated.

Clint shared a long look with Phil, before Phil looked over at Maria. "We have a date set for a week from today."

"So Natasha doesn't win a bet," Clint added.

Maria looked between them, before going to open the door. "Good for her, can't say I wasn't thinking of doing the same thing." With that Maria walked out.

"I need to find a new job," Phil muttered.

"Same," Clint agreed.

**Author's Note:**

> Phil - Australian Magpie  
> Clint - housecat  
> Melinda - European Lynx  
> Natasha - Fox


End file.
